Page 37 of The Summer That Changed Us

‘And you’ve got us,’ said Katie firmly. ‘We’re in this together.’

Chapter Thirteen

The following Monday, Robyn was at her desk in her studio, her hand wrapped around a mug of tea. The room was sun-warmed and flooded with light, the fresh scent of the sea wafted in through the open Velux windows and the sound of the waves and the tinkle of masts from the boats moored in the harbour was soothing and comforting. Finn was out at work and she had the cottage to herself.

Despite finding it hard to focus, she was pleased with what she’d achieved. She’d updated her CV, shared a post about British illustrators on LinkedIn and she’d taken a couple of pictures of the sea glass she’d collected the other day and posted them on Instagram. But every now and then, her mind would return to that moment on the beach with Grace and Katie when she had been on the verge of confiding in them about her concerns over her marriage.

Ours has always worked, but lately …

Then poor Grace had received that phone call from her husband’s ex and the opportunity had evaporated. If she was honest with herself, Robyn had been relieved at the interruption.

Because she was a coward.

She hadn’t always been like this. But it had become a habit, ever since that conversation with Finn about starting a family. Two years had gone by since then and she still recalled the details of it as if it were yesterday. She sipped her tea and allowed her mind to travel back to the moment when everything had changed for her and Finn.

It had been a Friday evening in early spring, and Finn had come in tired and happy because although the sea had been rough, the catch had been fantastic that day.

She’d run him a bath, tipped a generous dollop of her birthday bubbles into it and lit some candles. The bathroom was steamy, warm and aromatic. She led him by the hand into the bathroom and kicked the door shut behind them.

‘I’m glad you’re home safe.’ She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, leaning into his strong body.

There were other more dangerous jobs than being a fisherman, she knew that, but she never underestimated the risks of working at sea. ‘I’ve been in my studio listening to the waves pounding the harbour wall all day and I kept thinking of you in your little boat.’

He returned her embrace and grinned as she unbuttoned his shirt and tugged his T-shirt over his head. ‘Not that little.’

‘Little compared to the sea.’

‘Aye, well, I’m glad the catch was good. We’ve turned a decent profit for a change. I’m doing grilled mackerel and wild samphire for dinner.’ He waggled his eyebrows, pleased with himself.

‘Ooh. Very fancy.’ Robyn kissed him tenderly. ‘You spoil me.’

‘I figured if I’m going to keep feeding you catch of the day, I’ve got to up my game.’ He unbuckled his jeans and let them drop to the floor.

‘You’re my catch of the day,’ she replied, watching with a thrill as he stepped into the bath. ‘And your game is just fine as it is.’

Leaving him to relax in the bubbles, she bundled up his clothes, went downstairs and stuck them straight in the washing machine and came back with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

She poured them both a drink, before peeling off her own clothes and then she climbed in the other end of the bath, making room for herself between his long legs.

‘Cheers!’ He tipped his glass to hers and laughed under his breath.

‘What’s funny?’ she laughed with him, sipping her wine.

‘Just comparing my Friday night with Callum’s. Claudia will be waiting at the door for him, ready to go skipping merrily off to her mother’s for the night, leaving him to do battle with Hannah about eating her vegetables and listening to William chew his ear off about getting a pet snake. He’ll just about manage one beer once they’ve gone to bed before crashing out himself.’

He leaned forward and gave her a lingering kiss. She felt the heat of his hand on her face, the roughness of his stubble against her skin and the cold tingle of the wine on his tongue. She shivered with desire.

‘Whereas I come home to a glass of wine and a candle-lit bath with a gorgeous naked woman.’

‘I’ve got bad news for Callum,’ Robyn giggled, resting her glass on her chest, just above her breasts. Finn’s eyes followed her every move. ‘Claudia wants at least one more baby.’

They laughed and chatted about their day: Robyn telling him about a new monthly column she’d been asked to illustrate for a magazine and Finn waxing lyrical about a new GPS system he and Callum wanted to invest in which, they reckoned, would pay for itself in less than eighteen months.

‘Days like today give me hope for the future,’ said Finn. He scooped up a handful of foam from the top of the water and blew it towards her. ‘Bad days make me worry that there’ll be no business to pass down to the family. The McGills have been fishing in Merle Bay for three generations. It would be criminal if Callum and I cocked that up for the next lot.’

‘You won’t cock it up,’ she said softly.

Hannah and William were next in line. Callum’s family. For Finn, it wasn’t a case of no business to pass to his family, it would be no family to inherit the business. Was that what Finn was really worried about; that his genes would end with him? He and Robyn had always agreed that they didn’t want children. It was one of the things which had cemented their relationship. But people changed, didn’t they? Had Finn, she wondered.